of their mass, and some
of their musique, which is not so contemptible, I think, as our people
would make it, it pleasing me very well; and, indeed, better than the
anthem I heard afterwards at White Hall, at my coming back. I staid till
the King went down to receive the Sacrament, and stood in his closett
with a great many others, and there saw him receive it, which I did
never see the manner of before. But I do see very little difference
between the degree of the ceremonies used by our people in the
administration thereof, and that in the Roman church, saving that
methought our Chappell was not so fine, nor the manner of doing it
so glorious, as it was in the Queene's chappell. Thence walked to Mr.
Pierces, and there dined, I alone with him and her and their children:
very good company and good discourse, they being able to tell me all the
businesses of the Court; the amours and the mad doings that are there;
how for certain Mrs. Stewart do do everything with the King that a
mistress should do; and that the King hath many bastard children that
are known and owned, besides the Duke of Monmouth. After a great deale
of this discourse I walked thence into the Parke with her little boy
James with me, who is the wittiest boy and the best company in the
world, and so back again through White Hall both coming and going,
and people did generally take him to be my boy and some would aske me.
Thence home to Mr. Pierce again; and he being gone forth, she and I and
the children out by coach to Kensington, to where we were the other day,
and with great pleasure stayed till night; and were mighty late getting
home, the horses tiring and stopping at every twenty steps. By the way
we discoursed of Mrs. Clerke, who, she says, is grown mighty high, fine,
and proud, but tells me an odd story how Captain Rolt did see her the
other day accost a gentleman in Westminster Hall and went with him, and
he dogged them to Moorefields to a little blind bawdy house, and there
staid watching three hours and they come not out, so could stay no
longer but left them there, and he is sure it was she, he knowing her
well and describing her very clothes to Mrs. Pierce, which she knows are
what she wears. Seeing them well at home I homeward, but the horses at
Ludgate Hill made a final stop; so there I 'lighted, and with a linke,
it being about 10 o'clock, walked home, and after singing a Psalm or two
and supped to bed.

16th. Up, and set my people, Mercer,